About care in the NT

Adults in good physical and emotional health, with a
strong desire and compassion to help a child or young person can apply to
become a carer.

You can be:

single, married, or in a defacto relationship,
including same-sex relationships

working with children or have no
children of your own

renting, buying or owning their home

working full-time or part-time or not
working

rrom a culturally diverse
background

living in a city, small town or remote
location.

As there are a number of different kinds of care, carers can find an
arrangement that suits them best. For example, some families may be
interested in a long-term placement that is stable, whereas others may be
more suited to emergency or respite placements. In the Northern
Territory, 'Defence families' on deployment are an
example of carers who may be unsure of how long they will be in a
position to care for a child, but they are still able to make a difference
through emergency care and respite placements.

Carers may be more suitable or comfortable providing
care for children in particular types of children due to their experience,
or they may have special skills and attributes that make them a great
candidate for particular children. For example, people in health and
caring professions, (such as doctors, nurses, teachers and child care
workers) may be more confident in caring for a child with serious
behavioral difficulties or physical or intellectual
disabilities. ​

Carer Story 1

My name is Kathy Huddleston and I have been caring for my granddaughter for almost one year as a Kinship carer for the Department of Children and Families (DCF). I believe it is important to have my granddaughter remain with family and to keep her in community and close to her extended family and friends. One of the main reasons I wanted to care for my granddaughter was to help my family and community... Read Carer Story 1